Lock strike



H. MCNEILL LOCK STRIKE May 5, 1936.

Filed March 8, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet l l JNVENToR.-

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H. MGNEILL LOCK STRIKE May 5, 1936.

Filed March a, 1954 8 sheets-shea 2 l N VEN TOR:

W/T/YESSS May5,1936. H. MCNEILI. i 2,039,433

A LOCK STRIKE Filed March 8, 1934 s sheets-sheet 3 ai Z5 Z 3011-16. 11714Z 5 FIG. W

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May 5, 1936. H McNElLL 2,039,433

LOCK STRIKE 25" 39,506# w in@ ya@ J7 E 1 1@ 17% 1 Q "ff-'0 o o WITNEssEs.- INVENTOR:

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May 59 1935-` H. McNElLl. I 2,039,433

LOCK STRIKE Filed March 8, 1954 `8 Sheets-Sheet 5 v WITNESSES: INVENTOR;

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LOCK STRIKE Filed March 8, 1934 SSheetS-Sheeb 6 I N VEN TOR:

I @L BY 1 /1/ TToRNEYs.

May 5, 1936. H. MGNEILL LOCK STRIKE Filed March 8, 1934 FIG@ im 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 WITNESSES:

TTORNEYS.

May 5, 1936. H, McNElLL 2,039,433

' LOCK STRIKE' t Filed March a, 1954 s sheets-sheet 8 FIG. im

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WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

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BY v l l f A TToRNEYs.

Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to door operating mechanism; and ithas reference more particularly to mechanism for operating the doors of automobiles and the like.

Considered from the broadest viewpoint, my invention is directed toward the provision of a simple and reliable key-lock controlled mechanism for operating doors, that is to say: tn mechanisin capable of eecting automatic opening of doors upon release of the keeper by a lock switch.

An object of my invention is to provide, in a door operating mechanismhaving the above attributes, means in association with the lockl switch whereby the keeper release may be effected mechanically in the event of failure of the electric current or` derangement of the electricmeans.

In connection with door operating mechanism for automobiles itis a further aim of my inven-v tion to dispense with the necessity for external door operating handles, thereby eliminating objectionable lateral projections on the car bodies, and minimizing wind resistance.

Another object of my invention in connection with electrically-actuated door operating mechanism for automobiles is to afford means, whereby. when the ignition is turned on,the circuit of the mechanism is automatically broken, to the end. that the doors cannot be opened from the outside except mechanically with the aid of' the lock key. Thus, on the one hand, the car may be parked, with the engine running, safe against theft; while on the other hand, the doors are secure against being opened from without by anyone jumping on the running board while the car is in motion, the doors being always operable from withinhowever by the usual door bolt actuating handles at the interior.

My invention is also directed in part toward the vprovision of an electro-mechanical mechanism whereby a number of automobile or other .doors may be selectively operated under control of` a single lock switch.

Still other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will be manifest from the detailed description following of the attached drawings, wherein Fig. I is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of an automobile car body at oneof the door openings, showing a single unit of my improved door operating mechanism incorporating spring actuated impellers for swinging the door to open position upon keeper reiease.' l

Fig. II is a iront view of the door operating unit removed, with the left hand portion in section for purposes of clarity.

Fig. IIa is a detail section taken on the plane designated by the arrows IIa-IIa in Fig. I.

Fig. III is ia vertical sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows III-III in Fig. I.

Fig. IV is a view corresponding to Fig. I showing the keeper of the unit retracted and the door partly open. A

Fig. V is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows V-V in Fig. I, withl the switch means of the unit in locked position, and showing diagrammatically, the electrical connections embodied in the mechanism.

Figs. VI, VII and VIII are views corresponding to Fig. V showing the switch means in different positions incident to electrical and mechanical operation of the unit.

Fig. IX is a view like Fig. I showing my invention embodied in a double unit enabling selective actuation of the front and rear doors at one side of an automobile.

Fig. X shows a front view of the double unit removed from the car body.

Fig. IU is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows XI--IU in Fig; IX and showing the control switch means of the double unit in locked. position.

Figs. XII, XIII, XIV, XV and XVI are views corresponding to Fig. XI showing the lock switch means in different positions incident to electrical and mechanical operation of the double unit.

Fig. XVII is a view corresponding to Fig. I showing an alternative form of single unit.

Fig. XVIII is a front elevation of the single unit shown in Fig. XVIII.

Fig. XIX isa plan sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows XIX- XIX in Fig. XX. f Fig. XX is a vertical sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows, XX-XX in Fig. XVII.

Fig. XXIis a fragmentary detail sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows XXI-XXI in Fig.'XVII and showing the switch means of the unit in locked position.

Figs. XXII, XXIII and XXIV are views corresponding to Fig. XXI showing the switch means in diilerent positions incident to electrical/and mechanical operation of the unit.

With more detailed reference first to Figs. I-VIII of these drawings, the numeral I (Figs. I, III and IV) designates the hollow side wall `of a metallic automobile body whereof the outside sheet is recessed as at 2 along one of the vertical edges of the door opening 3, to accommedate the lap ange portion d oi the vertical swinging edge of the door 5. As illustrated the door- 5 is of the usual hollow sheet metal construction and provided with a bevel-ended latch bolt 6 capable of being actuated by a suitable turn handle (not shown) from the interior of the automobile. However, in accordance with my invention, the usual exterior operating handle is omitted from the door. The single type door operating unit featured in this embodiment of my invention comprises a centrally-open box-V like housing 1 which is set into the hollow of the wall at the vertical edge of the door opening 3, and secured by a number of screws l. Swingable about a vertical arbor 9 within the housing 1 is a keeper I0 which, as is usual in automobile practice, has keeper and safety projections II and I2 to cooperate with the latch bolt 6 in the door 5. A helical spring I3 surrounding the arbor 9 and having one end thereof anchored in the housing 1 at I4 and the other end I5 bearing against the keeper I0, serves to yieldingly maintain the latter in the active position shown in Fig. I. Normally with the door 5 closed, the keeper I0 is positively held against movement by a holding means in the form of a detent I 6 which is swingable about another vertical arbor I1 within the housing 1, and formed with `a tooth end I8 to engage the notch I9 in a rearward extension or lug 20 of said keeper. A pair of coiled springs 2| surrounding the arbor I1 urge thedetent I6 toward the keeper I0. From Figs. I and IV it will be noted that the detent I6 has `an angularly directed tail 22 whereof the terminal tip 23 is beveled as indicated by the shading. and reaches into a cut-out 24 in the inner vertical wall 25 of the housing 1.

Carried by the keeper lll'is an electromagnetic device or magnet 26 whereof the pole end 21 lies adjacent the tail 22 of the detent ,I6 when the parts are in the normal position as in Fig.,I. At its inner end, the magnet 26 is secured by means of a screw to an angle piece 28, which latter is secured ir. turn by screws to the pivot ears 29 of the keeper I0. For greater security, the magnet 26 is embraced by .a clamp band 30 which is made fast to the rearward extension 20 of the keeper III likewise by screws.

Suitably tted into the wall I of the automobile body adjacent the door opening 3 is a cylinder lock 3l which, insofar as its internal construction is concerned, may be of the conventional -type customarily employed in automobiles; that is to say, it includes a securing sleeve 3Ig having a longitudinal slot 3Ih. with which the tumblers 3Ii normally coact for locking purposes. However, in accordance with my invention, the barrel 32 of the cylinder lock 3| is provided with a' at diametral nger grasp 33' which is longitudinally disposed with respect to the key receiving slot 34; while the lsecuring sleeve 3Ig aforesaid is provided Iwith an auxiliary tumbler receiving cut-out 3I1'-Fig. II-for a purpose later on explained. As shown, the inner end of the lock barrel 7`32 is afforded journal support ir an apertured bearing projection 35 on the housing 1, and provided with an axial shaft extension 36 which passes through the inside 31 of the wall l-and terminates in anat iinger grasp 38, similar to the grasp` 33, accessible at the interior of the automobile body. The shaft extension 36 oi the lock barrel 32, it will be-further observed, has two contiguously allocated radial fingers 39 and 4l which are spaced` by an angl'e of 45, and adapted to move through the opening 24 in the frontal wall 2l of the housing 1. The end of the boss hollows.

the finger 39 is bevelled, as at 4I, for camming action with the bevelled tip 23 on the tail 22 of the detent I6. The other finger 40 constitutes a switch, the same being adapted to engage a spring contact 42, which, with interposition of insulating washers 43, is secured by a screw 44 to the wall 25 of the housing 1 and electrically connected by a flexible conductor 45 with the magnet 26, see Figs. I, IV and V.

Above and below its open central portion, the housing 1 has integrally formed hollow bosses 46 for the guidance of spring pressed impeller plungers 41 which are relied`upon to automatically swing the door 5 open upon release of the keeper I0. The forward end portions 48 of these plungers 41 are square in cross section (see Figs. II and III), and flt the correspondingly configured frontal portions 49 of the cavities in the bosses 46. The rear portions of the boss cavities are cylindric as indicated at 50; and the square portions 48 of the plungers have their corners rounded part way of their lengths as at 5I for capacity to move into the cylindric portions of theinner ends of the plungers 41 are diametrically reduced and cylindric as at 52, and surrounded by stout helical compression springs 53. One end 54 of each compression spring 53 is anchored in a hole in the rear wall of the corresponding hollow boss, while the other en'd 55 engages a circumferential notch in the corresponding plunger. Upon release of the door 5, the springs 53 thrust the plungers 41 forward in the guide bosses 46, the movement being limited. by engagement of the ends 55 of the springs with the circumferential shoulders 56 within the cavities of said bosses. At their rear ends, the impeller' plungers 41 are formed with axial tips 51 of smaller diameter, which, when the plungers are, fully depressed, engage guide apertures 58 in the back ends of the bosses 46. It is to be noted from Fig. III that the bosses 46 are cut away as at 59 to enable introduction of the springs 53 into the boss cavities incident to assembling of the unit, whereupon the impeller plungers 41 are inserted into said bosses from-the front and the ends 55 of the springs snapped into the circumferential notches of said plungers.

In addition to 'the function above mentioned, the plungers 41 assist in the vertical support of the swinging edge of the door 5, and in this latter function they cooperate respectively with pairs of spaced anti-friction rollers,60 within recesses 6I of a plate 62 which is set 'into the swinging edge of the door and secured by screws 63 as shown in Fig. III. A rubber buffer 64,anchored in the plate 62 at its center absorbs shocks attendant upon closing the'door.

Referring now to Fig. V which shows the wiring diagram for the door operating mechanism, the magnet 26 is connected by a conductor 65 to one pole of a battery 66 which may be the ignition and lighting battery of the automobile. Connected with the other pole of the battery 66, by another conductor 61, is a fixed spring contact 68 which may be like the contact 42. This spring contact 68 is adapted to be engaged by a finger 69 projecting radially from the barrel of the ignition lock of the automobile, which lockis conventionally indicated at '10. It is to be understood that all the parts of the mechanism except the spring contacts 42 and 68 are y grounded through the body and frame of the automobile; 4

and furthermore, that in Figs. I, II, III and V, the parts are all in the positions which they occupy when the automobile is parked and locked, with the ignition switch 'I0 (Fig. V) turned off.

Assuming that the barrel 32 of the cylinder lock 3| occupies a position shown in Fig. II, with the key slot 34 horizontal, when the door 5 is both electrically and mechanically locked, the operation of the form of my invention just described is as follows:

The key is inserted into the slot 34 of the cylinder lock 3|, and passed through the consecutive relatively-staggered openings in the tumblers 3 Ii to withdraw the latter from engagement in the locking slot 3 I h, whereupon the barrel 32 of said lock is turned counterclockwise through a quadrant, or an angle of 90, from the positionshown in Figs. I, II and V, to that shown in Fig. VII, in which position the barrel is yieldingly maintained thereafter by a bow spring 3|k supported by pins 3|l on the housing apertured bearing projection 35 being engaged by circumferentially-spaced studs 32g at the inner end of the barrel aforesaid, in an obvious manner, and as will be better understood from Fig. IIa, more particularly. In passing from the position of Fig. V, through that shown by Fig. VI, to the position of Fig. VII, when the key slot 34 is in a vertical position, with the tumblers 3Iz' engagedv in the auxiliary cut-out 3|7' and in which position it remains while the car is occupied, the switch finger 40 on the lock barrel extension 36, wipes the contact 42, thereby closing the circuit through the magnet 26, the attendant movement of the trip finger 39 being an idle one. As a consequence of the energization of the magnet'26,'the holding detent I6 is attracted and rocks clockwise on the pivot I1, with attendant withdrawal of its toothed end I8 fron the notch I9 in the keeper I0. Thereupon, the impeller plungers 41 are forcibly thrust forward by the springs 53 in the bosses 46 of the housing 1, thereby reacting against the plate 62, incidentally overcoming the weaker spring I3 of the keeper I0 and moving the latter aside after the manner illustrated in Fig. IV, and swinging the door 5 to open position. i Upon clearance of the latch bolt 6` in the door 5, the keeper I is temporarily maintained in its retracted position against the action of its spring I3 by coaction of the sloping back of the tooth I8 of the detent I6 with the safety projection I2 of said keeper as in Fig. IV. In stepping into the car the driver closes the door in the usual manner by drawing upon the handle (not shown) at the inside incident to which the latch bolt 6 in striking the keeper I0 causes the latter to be 'swung back to its normal position with the detent I6 engaging the notch I9 as in Fig. I. Buringturning of the ignition control 10 to the on position indicated in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. V, the circuit through the magnet 26 is broken due to passing of the finger 69 from the contact 68, thereby making it impossible for the door to be opened from the outside by an unauthorized person jumping on the running board while the car is in motion. It also makes impossible opening of the door by accidental actuation of the switch iinger grasp 38 within the automobile, and thus affords the occupants greater safety while the vehicle is in motion. Upon turning off the ignition, the electric circuit of the door operating mechanism is re-established so that the door 5 can be ele'ctrically opened from within by turning the 'finger grasp 38 clockwise from the position of Fig. VII to that of Fig. V. In leaving the automobile, the door 5v is closed by slamming it with sumcientA force to overcome the springs 53 of theimpeller plungers 41, the latch bolt 6 incidentally engaging the innermost projection |0a of the keeper l0 and causing the latter to be swung outward to the normal position of Fig. I with the assistance of its spring I3; while the detent I6 is thrust aside by the safety projection I2.

` 3| y' into the slot 3Ih. In the event of failure of the battery 66 or derangement of any part of the electric system, or when the car is parked with 'I'o lock the car, theY M Y finger grasp 33 is turned clockwise through a the engine running (during which time the elec- A tric circuit is interrupted as before explained), the door may be mechanically opened from the outside after insertion of the key into the lock, by clockwise turning of the lock barrel 32, through a quadrant from the position of Fig. V to the position of Fig. VHI. As this is done, the bevel ended trip finger 39 on the lock barrel extension 36 wipes past the bevel tip 23 on the tail 22 of the holding detent I6, with the result that the latter is withdrawn (as during electrical operation thereof) to release the keeper I0 and permit automatic vopening of the door 5 under the thrust of the spring-'pressed impeller plungers 4'I.

In Figs. IX-XVI, I have shown my invention embodied in a double unit capable of serving in common for the two doors 5d and 5e at the side of an automobile. As illustrated, the housing 'Id of the double latch unit occupies the hollow of the vertical center or dividing post 90 of the automobile body between the doors 5d and 5e whereof the swinging edges close against said post 90. The latch unit in this case includes keepers IIld and I0e to cooperate respectively with the bolts 6d and 6e of the doors 5d and 5e, said keepers being pivoted on arbors 9d and 9e fixed within the hollow ofthe casing Id near opposite ends of the latte-r. As shown, the keepers |0d and |0e are maintained yieldingly in the position illustrated in engagement with the door bolts 6d and 6e by means of the torsion springs |3d and I3e respectively. The associated holding detents I6d and |6e are pivoted onr arbors IId and I'Ie and subject to springs 2|d and 2|e but here engage the backs of the keepers Illd and |06. Themagnets 26d and 26e which respectively actuate the detents I 6d and I6e are in this instance iixedly secured to the back wall of the housing 'Id with their pole faces 21d and 21e disposed adjacent the tails 22d and-22e of said detents. As further shown, the rearward extension 36d on the barrel 32d of the lock 3 Id of the double unit has a radial trip finger-39d with a bevelled end to cooperate with the counter-beveled tip of the detent |6d, and a pair of diametrically opposite radial switch fingers 40d and 40e angularly spaced from the finger 39d. 'I'he switch fingers 40d and 40e are adapted to cooperate respectively with spring contacts 42d and 42e, which latter are secured, with interposition4 of insulation, to the frontal Wall' of thel housing 1d by means o'f'screws. As shown, the fiexible leads 45d and 45e ofthemagnets 26d and 26e are respectively connected to the spring contacts 42dzand ;42e, Figs. XI-XVI. All other4 electrical features are intended to be similar to thoseillustrated in Fig. V. Moreover, inall other respects the modification of Fig. IX

oul

is similar to the first described embodiment of my invention. Therefore, in order to avoid the necessity for repetitive description, all corresponding parts have here been identified with the same reference numerals heretofore employed but with the addition of the letter d in each case for the purposes of distinction.

The operation of this double latch form of my invention is as followsz-To open the front door 5d, the key is inserted into the lock tid and the latter given a quarter turn counterclockwise from the normal locked position of Fig. XI to the position of Fig. XII incident to which the ringer 40d wipes contact 42d with resultant energization of the magnet 26d, Withdrawal of the keeper Id and release of the door 5d to the action of the impeller plungers Md. If the rear doory 5e is to be opened the lock barrel 32d is turned further in the counter-clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. XIV so that the radial finger 40d engages with the spring contact 42e, the magnet 26e being thereby energized, the detent lSe withdrawn, and the keeper loe released to free the door 5e to the action of the impellers Mc. In the event that the elec tric system is disorganized for any reason, the front door 5d may be mechanically released after insertion of the key into the lock Eid by turning the lock barrel 32d clockwise romthe position of Fig. XI through the position oi Fig. XV to that shown in Fig. XVI incident to which the bevel-ended trip ringer 39d will wipe past the bevel tip 23d of the tail 22d of the detent ltd and cause retraction of the latter from the latch member lod. When the parts are in the positions illustrated in Figs. IX, X and XI, it will be observed that the ngers Mld and fiile lie between the tails 22d and 22e of the detents iSd, ite and the pole faces 21d and Ele of the magnets 26d and 26e, thereby functioning as a positive meansv to prevent unauthorized electrical or rnechanical operation of the doors. Thus with the last described form of my invention two doors may be selectively operated with a single lock controlled switch.

In the alternative single latch unit embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. XVII-XXIV, a solenoid 26j is utilized instead of a magnet. The solenoid Zf is however secured to the pivoted keeper If by means of a band or strap lilf afterthe manner described in connection with the attachment of the magnet `2t in Fig. I. As Shown, the armature 21j is guided in insulate tubular core piece 9| of the solenoir, the upper portion of the said armature being of hard rubber or the like and having a head 92 which is acted upon by the torsion spring isf. Accordingly, the armature 21j normally occupies the position shown in Fig. XVII with its end projecting and engaging the edge 93 of an opening in the frontal Wall of thehousing 'lf to hold the latch member Hlf locked in active position. The cylinder lock 3|f is in this case mounted in the door 5f. When the door is in its closed position, the axial extension 36f of the lock barrel reaches through a sectoral aperture 94 in the outside sheet of the automobile body adjacent the door opening 3f. As shown, the lock barrel extension 36f is provided with a single switch nger 39j which is adapted to cooperate with the spring contact 42)', and which has its end beveled asv at 23f for capacity to cooperate as well lwith the solenoid armature 2U, whereof the end is counter beveled as at 95. In this instance but a single impeller plunger "f is employed, the same being arranged to engage between rollers 60j in the recesses Blf of a plate B2i which is set into the 2,oa,4ss

' lap flange 4f along the door edge.

The plate 62j also provides bearing for the barrel 32f of the lock 3U. The impeller plunger Hf is here of slightly different construction, it being formed with an enlarged head 96 which has an axial recess 97 capable of wholly accommodating the spring 53f when the latter is compressed as in Fig. XV. From Fig. m it will be observed that the plunger head 96 has a notch 98 in its rear face to cooperate With an upwardly projecting half round lug 99 on the keeper IDf for a purpose to be presently described. To open the door 5f, the key is inserted into the slot of the lock Slf and the barrel 321 turned counterclockwise through a quadrant with the result that the switch nger 39) is moved from the position shown in Fig. m to that shown in Fig. XXII, in which latter position said nger is yieldingly held by the spring (not shown) of the lock. A slightly further movement of the lock barrel 321, either with the key or by means or the finger grasp t'lf, beyond the position of Fig. XXIII, will cause the ilnger ttf to engage the spring contact lltf as in Fig. mi, with attendant energization of the solenoid 26j and retraction of becomes operative to swing the door to open position as in the previous embodiments of my invention. Incident Vto closing the door 5f subsequently, the hemispherical lug Q9 on the keeper lf is engaged by the rear end of the impeller plunger lf in a manner which will be obvious from Fig. XIX and thereby positively returned to its active position with the solenoid armature 27j projected and engaging the edge 93 as in Fig. XVII. In the event o failure of the electric current, the door 5f may be opened by turning the lock barrel @2f counterclockwise beyond the position of Fig. XXIU to that shown in dot-anddash lines in Fig. XXIV when the beveled end of the switch finger 39j will wipe past the bevel end of the armature solenoid, causing the latter to be thrust inward to clear the edge 93 for release of the keeper lili as in electric operation. The single finger 39j on the extension 30j of the lock barrel 32j thus performs the function of both a switch and a mechanical means for effecting the release of the door.

While in the several illustrated forms of my invention I have shown the door impelling means as incorporated with the housings of the keeper units, they may, if found convenient or desirable i in practice, be made as separate devices and mounted either in the automobile bodies, or in the doors.

It is thought to be clear from the foregoing' 'urged keeper adapted to engage a projection on the door; a pivotal spring-urged holding mem- F ber having a portion adapted to positively hold the keeper'normally in active position and the other portion providing a tail; an electromagnetic device carried by the keeper with its pole proximate the holding member tail for actuating said face contiguous to the holding member; and a' member; and a manually operable switch whereby an electric circuit may be closed through the electromagnetic device to eiect withdrawal of the holding member aforesaid.

2. In door operating mechanism, a springurged keeper adapted to engage a projection on the door; a member to positively hold the keeper normally in active position; an electromagnetic device carried by the keeper and adapted to actuate the holding member; and a manually operable switch whereby an electric circuit may be closed through the electromagnetic device to eiect withdrawal of the holding member aforesaid.

3. In door operating mechanism, a springurged keeper adapted to engage a projection on the door; a member to positively hold the keeper normally in active position; an electromagnetcarried by the keeper with its pole face normally contiguous to the holding member; and a manually operable switch whereby an electric circuit may be closed through the magnet to effect withdrawal oi the holding member.

4. A door operating mechanism comprising an open box-like housing; a spring-urged keeper in said housing adapted to engage a projection on the door; a member to positively hold the keeper normally in active position; an electromagnetic trip means carried by the keeper with its pole vdetent embodying a toothed portion, for engagement in a. notch in the keeper member to positively hold the' same normally in active position. and a reversely-directed angular tail portion; an electro-magnet carried by the keeper with its pole face normally contiguous the detent tail portion; and a cylinder lock having an axial extension with a radial finger, which linger serves to wipe a stationary contact for closing a circuit through the magnet to effect electric release of the holding detent.

6. 'I'he combination of claim 5 wherein the detent toothed portion not only coacts with the keeper member notch for holding said keeper normally in active position, but also serves to engage the keeper safety projection for temporarily holding said keeper in inactive position.

HOWARD MCNEILL. 

